How do I migrate from a DCE hardware server to a virtual server?

As the data center is moving away from hardware servers and towards vitalization, many of our customers are looking to migrate StruxureWare DCE from a hardware to a virtual environment.

Resolution:

In order to migrate from a hardware to a virtual DCE server, there are a number of things you need to do.

1: You must purchase the AP94VMACT activation key to activate the free AP94VMTRL trial virtual machine.

2: Download and deploy the AP94VMTRL free DCE trial VM. Please be sure it is the same version as the hardware server from which you wish to migrate.

3: Contact technical support. the newly deployed VM will have a different MAC address than the hardware server. License keys are tied to the MAC address so they will not work on the new server. After verifying support contracts for the license keys and the server itself, technical support can reset the license key passcodes so that they may be used again to license the virtual server. Technical support will work with the contract administrators to switch the support contracts to the new servers/licenses.

4: During deployment of the trial VM, please be sure to add a second NIC card to accommodate the private LAN NIC from the hardware server and add a second hard drive to at least match the hard drive space of the hardware from which you are deploying. These changes (at least the NIC addition) should be done prior to the first boot up of the DCE VM. Do not add drive space to the default drive as per FA309639

5: Back up your hardware server. You can do a full backup or just a configuration backup but as previously mentioned, this must be the same version as the VM to which you are migrating.

6:Verify the mac address of the new VM and register it at https://dcimassets.schneider-electric.com. Register the passcodes obtained from tech support for the license keys against this mac address. Be sure to redeem the activation key passcode as well.

7: Boot the VM and import the backup you've just created from the hardware server.

8: Import the license keys (starting with the VM activation key) created from the previous registration step.